Operating mechanism for dumping door



April 10, 1956 G. s. DOREY OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMPING DOOR 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 15. 1951 G60 BY sh MN April 10, 1956s. B. DOREY OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMPING DOOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed Feb. 1.5, 1951 2 I 6:5 IIIIIIIII. n

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United States PatentO OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMllNG DOOR George B.Dorey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Enterprise RailwayEquipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Originalapplication February 15, 1951, Serial No. 211,137. Divided and thisapplication October 3, 1952, Serial No. 312,962

6 Claims. (Cl. 105301) The invention relates to an improved dooroperating mechanism for dump cars of the type having a door hinged atone end and supported adjacent the swinging edge by a door operatingshaft having linkage connecting the shaft and door for supporting thedoor in open position and wherein the linkage is arranged to wind on theshaft and thereafter provide for the latter to move in supportingposition beneath the door. This application is a division of applicationSerial No. 211,137, filed February 15, 1951.

The objects of the invention, among others, are: To provide foroperating an individual door by means of a swingingly mounted shaftarranged to lift the door and move bodily beneath the door and toprovide means at one end of the shaft for raising the door and othermeans at the opposite end of the shaft for releasing the door; toprovide interlocking operating heads' and winding hubs for the operatingmechanism; and to provide operating heads for the mechanism havingessentials for safety and convenience.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal elevation of a part of a railwaycar showing as much of the car as necessary to show one dumping doorwith the improved mechanism applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on a line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View somewhat similar to Figure 2except that the door is illustrated in open position and is taken on aline 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 except thatthe shaft is shown as swung outwardly beyond the path of movement of thedoor and corresponds to a line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through the outer end of thedoor on a line corresponding to a line 5-5 of Figure 1 illustrating theshaft locking mechanism and the door raising operating head;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken through the outer end of thedoor, similar to Figure 5 except that the locking pawl and dog are shownin released position;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View of the outer end of the door asseen on a line 7-7 of Figure 1 and illustrates the door releasing head;

Figure 8 is a detached longitudinal elevational view on an enlargedscale of the shaft operating head employed for rotating the shaft in adoor lifting direction;

Figure 9 is a vertical end view of the operating head shown in Figure 8as viewed from left to right;

Figure 10 is a detached longitudinal elevational view on an enlargedscale of one of the winding hubs;

Figure 11 is a vertical end view of the winding hub shown in Figure 10as viewed from left to right;

Figure 12 is a detached longitudinal elevational View on an enlargedscale of the shaft operating head employed for initiating the release ofthe mechanism in a door opening direction; and

Figure 13 is a vertical end view of the operating head shown in Figure12 as viewed from right to left.

The present embodiment of this invention is shown as applied to a dropbottom car of a form well known in the art, cars of said type generallyincluding a plurality of doors hinged to each side of the longitudinalcenter of the car and opening to a downwardly inclined position todischarge lading to the sides of the car. in the drawings only one ofsuch doors is indicated on one side of the center sill.

The car as shown is provided with a center sill indicated at 10 having atop plate 11, crossbeams 12 of the underframe, crossbeam top plates at13, side stakes 14 extend ing upwardly from the ends of the crossbeamsand side walls indicated in this instance by a lower side chord angle 15and side plates 16. The angle 15 includes a lower horizontally disposedwall 17 which connects with the crossbeam top plates 13 and the adjacentWall 13 of the angle extends upwardly and is secured to the side stakes14 and side plates 16.

The side edges of the angle wall 17 in combination with the facing edgesof the crossbearn top plates 13 and the adjacent edge of the center silltop plate 15 define the boundaries of a discharge opening 19.

Positioned to close the discharge opening 19 is a dumping door 29 whichis disposed to underlie the respective plates defining the dischargeopening. Said door 2% preferably includes a body plate portion 2%)reinforced along its front, rear and side edges by downwardly turnedflanges indicated at 22, 23, and 24, respectively, and secured to theunderside of the body are hinge beams 25 extending from the rear to thefront edges and secured to said beams are hinge straps 26 which are eachformed with an eye 27 to receive a hinge pivot 28 whereby thedoor ispivotally supported on hinge brackets 29, the latter being secured tothe center sill 10.

The door 20 in its closed position is preferably horizontally disposedand is supported at its swinging edge by a shaft 39 having a squarecross section which is rotatably supported in swinging hangers 31, thelatter being pivotally mounted on pivots 32 carried by brackets 33 whichin turn are secured to the car side walls. The brackets 33 include basewall 34 which receives attaching rivets 35 and extending outwardly fromsaid base wall are vertically disposed spaced walls between which theswinging hangers 31 are disposed and form the support for the pivots 32.

The hanger supporting pivots 32 are mounted beyond the swinging edge ofthe door proper, as shown in Figure 2, and so positioned as to permitthe hangers31 to gravitate to a vertical position with the axis 36 ofthe shaft 36 directly beneath the said pivot 32 whereby a straight line37 extending through the axis 36 of the shaft and passing through theaxis of the pivot 32 will lie on a substantially vertical line when thedoor is in closed position, as will be explained.

The door 20 adiacent its swinging edge is reinforced by an angle member38 having one flange secured to the outer depending flange 22 of thedoor and the adjacent flange 39 extends forwardly beyond the flange 22.Disposed in the angle formed by the flange 22 and flange 39 of the frontdoor beam 38 are extension brackets do which include a beam portion 41projecting forwardly to lie above the shaft 30 when the latter is biasedto its normally closed position.

Disposed in alignment with the beam portions 41 are hubs 42non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 30 and extending between each of saidhubs 42 and its related aligned door bracket is a flexible connection43.

There are preferably two connections 43 to each door 20 but, inasmuch asthe construction is the same in each .,.-3 instance,ihedescriptionandoperation will be confined to one of said connections. The connection 43is formed of a plurality of links movably united by means of rivets 44and includes a pair of terminal end links 425- 45 which 7 straddle theprojecting beamporti'on 41 and are'pivotally united therewithby means ofa rivet'46. The opposite ends of the terminal links' -iS straddle links48 and are pivotally united therewith at 49 and said link in turn liesbetween a pair of links tl 5il and is pivotally united therewith at 51.The opposite ends of the links 59 straddle link 52 and are pivotallyunited therewith at 53 and. said link 52 is extended within a pair ofjaws 54-54 of the hub 42 and pivotally united therewith at 55.

The said links 45, 48, 5t and52 are arranged to wind around the hub 42which is formedwith a-drum section of polygonal form to present aplurality of faces, as shown in Figure ll, corresponding to the numberof links, said faces being indicated at56, 57, 58 and 59 respectively.The links are maintained in fixed radial relation to the axis of theshaft3t by means of positioning cog projections 6% and 61 whichrespectively extend within the double linkage 45 and 5d. The projectingbeam portion 41 is formed with an arcuate shaped seat '62, Figure 3,which engages with a corresponding formed seating surface 63 formed onthe hub 42 and said seats 62 and 63 are contoured to extend concent'cally with respect to the axis 64 of the terminal links 45 of thelinkage. The said seat 63 is extended to merge into the cog projection66 thus provides for an extended area of bearing arc contact betweentheseating surface of the'door bracket it} and hub 42 respectively.

The shaft 3% is preferably of non-circular or square section and inorder to provide for its free rotation there is provided at each hanger31 a member 65, Figures 8, 9,

7 l2 and 13, having a circular hub. portion 66 for extending within therelated hanger 31. Extending lengthwise from said portion 66 is a pairof walls"6767 which project within the adjacent hub member 42and'areunited therewith and with the shaft by a rivet 68. It will beobserved in Figures 1, and 11.0f the drawings that each hub member 42has laterally extending wall means 42 within or underneath which therespective wall 67 projects. Each rivet 68 then serves to hold a hubmember 42 and a hub portion 66 together with the operating head in placeon the respective end of the shaft 36).

The respective hub members 42 are preferably positioned intermediate thepair. of swinging hangers 31 and the shaft 39 is maintained againstlengthwise displacement by the latter. Said members 65' outwardly of thesupporting hangers 31 are each provided w'ithan operating head asindicated at 69 and 70, Figures 8 and 12, respectively, the head 69being for the purpose of receiving an operating bar for lifting the door2% by rotation of'the shaft 3i? and the head if; being for the purposeof releasing the door 2% to move to the open position. I

The head 69 is in the form of'a series of triangular shaped walls 71arranged in spaced radial relation to accommodate a removable bar andeach of said walls includes an edge 72 extending substantially parallelto the axis of rotation of the shaft 34} and the adjacent edge 73 isinclined relatively thereto. Rotation of the shaft 31? in a door liftingdirection is effected by the use of a removable bar retained and grippedbetween two of the adjacent parallel edges 72 and retention of the barto rotate the shaft in the opposite direction is presented by reason ofthe e of the edges 73 which operate as safety throw out surfaces todisplace the bar in a sideways direction and thereby absolutely restrictthe use of this head 69 to the door raising operation.

Intermediate each wall 71 the head 69 is'notched at 7d to provide aseries of ratchet teeth 75 with which a pivoted locking pawl 76,Figured, cooperates to maintain the shaft '3 against reversemovement-inan-unwinding direction. The lockingpawl 76 is pivotallymounted on a lug 77 integrally formed with one of the hangers 31 and '4cooperable with the pawl 76 is a locking dog78. pivotally mounted on anintegrally formed lug 79 formed on the hanger 31. Overlying saidpawl 7 6and dog 78 is a strap plate 8% securedin place by rivets 81 extendingthrough the lugs 77 and 79.

The head 7t Figure 12, which is disposed on the end of the shaft 31)opposite to head 69 is formed with a single triangular shaped wall 82having an edge portion 83 positioned, when the mechanism is inclosed'position, below and outwardiy of the door 20 whereby an operatingbar Figure 7, is received between the outer edge 85 of the door angle 38and the said edge-33 of the operating head 7t to displace the 'shaft'39outwardly.

The tip of the locking pawl 76 is formed with a lip'86, Figure 6, andcooperating therewith is a recess 87 in the locking dog 73 whereby thelocking pawl 76 is held in an inoperative position during the doorreleasing operation as shown in Figure 5.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: assuming the parts inlocked position as shown in Figure 1, the locking pawl '76 is moved tothe inoperative position and there retained by the locking dog '73 asshown in Figure 5. The operating bar M then is positioned between theedge 85 of the door angle 38 and the fulcrum edge 83 as shown in Figure7. Upon outward movement of the free end of the operating bar $4, theshaft-3t is rotated and bodily moved outwardly to the position shown inFigure 4 after which the weight of the door 20 and lading moves it tofully opened position. During the initial unwinding operation of theshaft 3%, the cog projections 60 serve to maintain the linkages indefinite radial'relation to the hub 42 and prevent fouling of thelinkage should the lading and door be frozen as frequently occurs underextreme cold weather conditions.

The raising of the doors is a reverse of the releasing operation exceptthat the locking pawl 76 is brought into engagement with the ratchetteeth and the operating head 69 is employed for receiving the operatingbar 88 as shown in Figure 3.

The use of a separate head 7% for releasing the door 20 which isentirely independent of the door lifting head 69 is a simple expedientmaking for safety of operation inasmuch as said independent operationguards against accidents which might arise from the misuse of the doorlifting mechanism to effect release of the door 20.

What is claimed as new is:

l. in a railway car having an opening, a discharge door for closing theopening, a rotatable shaft pivotally mounted adjacent the swinging edgeof the door, swinging hangers pivotally mounted above the shaft forsupporting the shaft, said shaft being bodily movable upon swingingmotion of the hangers to move to a supporting position beneath the door,winding hubs rigidly mounted on the shaft and disposed between thehangers, and a flexible connection connected to the door and each huband winding thereon, the improvement comprising operating heads rigidlymounted on the shaft outwardly of the hangers, one of said heads havinga series of bar receiving fulcrums for accommodating a removable bar forrotating the shaft in a link winding direction, said fulcrums beingformed with inclined surfaces arranged to disengage the removable barfrom the head upon rotation of the shaft in a link unwinding direction,and a second operating head on the opposite end of the shaft having afulcrum spaced rom the'edge of the door and so located as to receive aremovable bar between the door and fulcrum for releasing the mechanism.

2. in a railway car having an opening and a swinging discharge door forclosing tr e same, a shaft, means 511 porting said shaft along theswinging edge of said door for rotatable and translatory movement tounderlie and support said door in closed position and to move fromunderneath said door to permit it to swing to open position, flexiblemeans interconnecting said door and said shaft to lift the former onrotation of the latter, and an operating head at each end of said shaft,one of said heads having a series of bar receiving fulcrums toaccommodate a removable bar for rotating said shaft in a direction toclose said door, said fulcrunis being formed with inclined surfacesarranged to disengage said removable bar upon rotation of said shaft inthe opposite direction, the other of said heads having a fulcrum spacedfrom said swinging edge of said door in closed position and located toreceive a removable bar between it and said door for prying said shaftfrom supporting engagement with said door.

3. in a railway car having an opening and a swinging discharge door forclosing the same, a shaft, means supporting said shaft along theswinging edge of said door for rotatable and translatory movement tounderlie and support said door in closed position and to move fromunderneath said door to permit it to swin to open position, a windinghub near each end of said shaft, a fiexibie connection between said doorand each hub for winding thereon to close said door on rotation of saidshaft, and an operating head at each end of said shaft, one of saidheads having a series of bar receiving fulcrums to accommodate aremovable bar for rotating said shaft in a direction to close said door,said fulcrums being formed with inclined surfaces arranged to disengagesaid removable bar upon rotation of said shaft in the oppositedirection, the other of said heads having a fulcrum spaced from saidswinging edge of said door in closed position and located to receive aremovable bar between it and said door for prying said shaft fromsupporting engagement with said door, each of said heads having Wallmeans extending therefrom lengthwise of said shaft into interfittingrelation with the respective hub.

4. In a railway car having an opening, and a swinging discharge door forclosing the same, a rotatable shaft adjacent the swinging edge of saiddoor, a pair of hangers pivotally mounted above said shaft on said carfor supporting said shaft at its ends, winding hub means nonrotatablymounted on said shaft near each end and between said hangers, fiexibleconnections between said car and said winding hub means and arranged toWind therearound to lift said door, operating head means nonrotatablymounted on each end of said shaft for effecting rotation thereof, a wallextending from each head means along said shaft within the respectivehub means and secured thereto and to said shaft, and a beating on one ofand between said means and individual to each hanger for rotatablymounting the same on said shaft.

5. In a railway car having an opening and a swinging discharge door forclosing the same, a rotatable shaft adjacent the swinging edge of saiddoor, a pair of hangers pivotally mounted above said shaft on said carfor supporting $31G shaft at its ends, winding hub means nonrotatablymounted on said shaft near each end and between said hangers, fiexibieconnections between said car and said winding hub means and arranged towind therearound to lift said door, operating head means non-rotatablymounted on each end of said shaft for efiecting rotation thereof, a wallextending from each head means along said shaft within the respectivehub means and secured thereto and to said shaft, and a bearing on eachoperating head means for rotatably mounting the respective hanger onsaid shaft.

6. In a railway car having an opening and a swinging discharge door forclosing the same, a rotatable shaft adjacent the swinging edge of saiddoor, a pair of hangers pivotally mounted above said shaft on said carfor supporting said shaft at its ends, Winding hub means nonrotatablymounted on said shaft near each end and between said hangers, flexibleconnections between said car and said winding hub means and arranged towind therearound to lift said door, operating head means non-rotatablymounted on each end of said shaft for effecting rotation thereof, wallmeans extending from each hub means and each operating head means alongand toward the opposite end of said shaft with the wall means on saidhead means underlying the wall means on said hub means, means commonlysecuring said wail means to said shaft, and a bearing on each operatinghead means for rotatably mounting the respective hanger on said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS1,155,430 Morey Oct. 5, 1915 1,551,800 Campbell Sept. 1, 1925 1,635,249Campbell July 12, 1927 1,705,952 Zimmer Mar. 19, 1929 1,818,688 CampbellAug. 11, 1931 1,892,868 Campbell Jan. 3, 1933 2,240,687 Campbell May 6,1941 2,371,277 Batho Mar. 13, 1945 2,407,912 Zimmer Sept. 17, 19462,477,397 Zimmer July 26, 1949 2,620,745 Zimmer et a1 Dec. 9, 1952

